I just upgraded my X10 mini pro to Android 2.1 . As suggested in the instructions did I perform a backup which seems to have created an file (~ 160 kB) with extension .sbf in /sdcard/data/backup/ on the phone.

After the upgrade, I tried to restore from this file (using the same 'Backup & Restore' application which comes with the operating system). While it seems to remember which applications were installed (but I had to configure the wireless access again by hand...) I do not get the contacts back, although it claims to restore the contact data.

Unfortunately, I never exported the contacts separately to a file nor did I store them online.

I just discovered that I seem to have the list of contacts on my gmail account (not clear to me why...), but I think the answer to this question might still be useful to people who run into the same problem and don't have their contacts synchronized to their gmail account...
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Andre HolznerJan 30 '11 at 9:55

Andre! I´m so glad I read this page! I could retrieve my contacts from gmail even though I had never ever save a contact there. I have to say is a complete lack of respect to go ahead and copy your contnacts into gmail without your permission. This should not happen. But thanks!!
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user2958Feb 17 '11 at 14:26

I've the same problem. After the update from Android 1.6 to 2.1 and a Restore of Backup made with "Sony Ericsson Backup and Restore" (updated to last version) software my Contacts are missing! I've no on-line (gmail) or outlook sync ... I hope to extract them from .sbf file.
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user7003Aug 2 '11 at 14:53

2 Answers
2

Well, this Sony Ericsson sync tool seems to work, specially if you want to move contacts from another Sony Ericsson device from your new one (They claim you can also synchronize your data from other devices, as long es they support SyncML).

But I personally use Gmail's contact management, which is easy to use, practical and safe. Obviously is a good idea to auto-synchronize it, as you did, even if you weren't aware ;).

After reading your post I've been playing with the Backup & Restore tool, and I realized they warn something like:

Contacts synchronized using other services are not included.*

*I don't know if this is the actual English message, cause my phone is in Spanish, but should be somehing like that, shouldn't it?

Thanks for the answer. I think I didn't expect it to backup or restore anything I synchronized to other services but I expected it to restore the contacts I backed up a few minutes before...
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Andre HolznerFeb 1 '11 at 6:57

once you've restored the data, go to contacts and press the left menu button, and go to import/export and import from memory card. I nearly had a heart attack when none of my contacts were restored but that sorted it out :)